Secretary-General, at G7 Stakeholder Conference, Urges Insurance Industry to Bolster Role in Easing Financial Burden of Climate Change

Following is the text of UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon’s video message to the G7 Stakeholder Conference on Climate Risk Insurance, held in Berlin today:

I am pleased to address this conference on climate risk insurance, convened by the German presidency of the G7.  Climate change impacts are accelerating.  A disaster can wipe out decades of development gains overnight.  Every country is affected, but not all equally.

Least developed countries and small island developing States are among those that have done least to cause climate change, but are suffering first — and worst — from its effects.

Kiribati is a prime example.  During my visit four years ago, I saw dangerously high tides that are making people afraid for their future.  I continue to sound the alarm about Kiribati — and about so many other places.  We are all on the front lines of the climate challenge.

This year, in Paris, Governments will gather to forge a collective response.  I am calling on world leaders to ensure that adaptation and resilience are a high priority.  The time is ripe for a global initiative on resilience that not only anticipates and absorbs climate risks, but also reduces them.

In the meantime, we need to build on existing financial mechanisms, including the African Risk Capacity and Caribbean Risk Insurance Facility.  The insurance industry has an important role to play in helping to ease the financial burden and protect the vulnerable.  The industry helped make last year’s Climate Summit an encouraging step forward.  I urge you now to do even more.

Thank you for your leadership and commitment.  I wish you a productive meeting.